SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 2709

BYHouse Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Crane and Appelwick)

Revising criteria for setting the number of district court judges in each electoral district.

House Committe on Judiciary

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 20, 1990; February 21, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Nelson, Chairman; McCaslin, Vice Chairman; Madsen, Newhouse, Niemi, Patrick, Rasmussen, Rinehart, Talmadge, Thorsness.

Senate Staff:Vicki Schur

                  February 21, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 21, 1990

BACKGROUND:

In 1989, the Legislature authorized counties with county-wide district courts, but multiple courtroom locations, to establish smaller electoral units within the district.  One of the requirements in the new law is that each of the electoral subdistricts must include "approximately equal population."

King County is currently divided into several district courts.  The county legislative authority is planning to consolidate all of the county into one district court district.  When consolidation occurs, the county-wide district could then be divided into subdistrict electoral units.  If electoral subdistricts are not created, all of the district court judges will run for election at large in King County.

The King County legislative authority and the district court judges have been negotiating on consolidation plans.  The equal population requirement for electoral subdistricts limits the choices available in a consolidation.  If Seattle is to be one of the electoral subdistricts in King County, the remainder of the county would have to be divided into two subdistricts in order to meet the equal population requirement.  Otherwise, Seattle would have to be subdivided into smaller electoral subdistricts, too.  None of the participants in the negotiations desires either of these alternatives.

State law authorizes 24 district court judges in King County.  The number of judges in a district is determined by a population formula set in statute.

SUMMARY:

The authorization to create electoral subdistricts is made mandatory for King County.  Any other county with a county-wide district court and multiple courtroom locations still has the choice of whether to create electoral subdistricts.

The requirement that district court subdistrict electoral units must be of equal population is removed.  Several requirements for the creation of districts are made applicable to subdistricts.  Among these requirements are that a city may not be in more than one subdistrict.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

An additional district court judge is added to Spokane County for a total of nine positions.

Senate Committee - Testified: Representative Crane, prime sponsor; Judge Robert McBeth, Washington State District and Municipal Court Judges Association